The USEK Library: An academic library with a national mission of conserving the heritage of Lebanon

The Holy Spirit University of Kaslik (USEK) in Lebanon is not very distant from this diversity and history. It is a private Catholic higher education institution founded by the Lebanese Maronite Order (LMO), an order which was founded in 1695. Other than its educational mission, it aims to achieve a synthesis of tradition and modernism, preserving the old for future generations. The USEK Library has at the core of its mission to support and nurture the University’s vision. Being in the heart of the University, it strives to perpetuate this mission by preserving rare and special collections in all facets of Lebanese cultural and ethnic heritage. The source of the idea came from the origins of USEK and its commitment to the preservation and promotion of the Maronite cultural heritage. It has now developed into a massive undertaking with larger collections, a preservation and conservation centre, a digitization centre, a manuscript collection, an archive and a centre for Lebanese studies. The USEK Library now has a wider scope and mission to fulfil: the preservation and promotion of the Lebanese cultural heritage. This paper will present the case of the USEK Library: the rationale and goal behind the project, the scope of the project, the collections gathered so far, the achievements, national and international collaborations, and the complimentary projects at USEK.